Is it infected?

[txtaquito]

I have an IPA conditioning in a secondary (actually tertiary) but before I moved it to there and removed the dry hop bag, there were little white floaties all throughout the beer. I swear one of them blinked at me. Im thinking it may be bacteria. If you could imagine little pieces of hard bacon grease thats what it looked like. I siphoned off the beer leaving the vast majority of the white thingies in the last 1/2 gal or so. I star-san'd the heck outta that carboy and soaked the bag for the hops in starsan for well over an hour before use.
The beer smelled fine and tasted ok - no off flavors. That was Friday and Im still alive so must not be harmful. I have rewashed and re-sanitized the carboy and transferred it back to the carboy (same day). I even stuck it in the fridge to help with settling. What I find unusual is that it has started fermenting again - in the fridge. the airlock has some activity for the past few days. This one has been a weird one since brew day.

TxT

 

[ifishsum]

I've had many batches with lots of little white yeast flakes floating in them, most noticeably when I use Nottingham. How does it smell/taste? I've only had one infection in about 40 batches (aceto) - didn't look any different but after a taste from the secondary and another after a few weeks in the bottle there was no doubt. If it tastes okay it probably is. No beer infection will make you sick, but it will affect the flavor.

 

[Trubadour]

There's not much you can do about it now except bottle and hope. Just don't dump it

 

[bull8042]

A pic would be most helpful, but sounds like clumps of yeast have floated up. Moving it around will release some of the CO2 that was dissolved and appear as if fermentation has started again.
Unless it tastes like satan's anus, you should be fine.

 

[Arkador]

Unless it tastes like satan's anus, you should be fine.

I presume Satan's Anus to taste like Rogue's Arrogant Bastard Ale

But I am not a fan of heavily hopped beers.

 

[KillerKellers]

I presume Satan's Anus to taste like Rogue's Arrogant Bastard Ale

But I am not a fan of heavily hopped beers.

Well, he is rockin an IPA there.. so it should be pretty hoppy. I am not a fan of heavily hopped beers either, but I do like the bastard /shrug.

 

[EvilGnome6]

I'm pretty sure Satan's anus tastes heavily hopped.

 

[r3dn3ckstyl3z]

or quite toasted.

 

[Vuarra]

Um... not only have we hijacked this thread, we've also reached the point where I'm going off to have another homebrew... or swear off them forever.

 

[Falcor]

I presume Satan's Anus to taste like Rogue's Arrogant Bastard Ale

whoooaah, you best check yerself.

1) Arrogant Bastard is made by stone
2) its good stuff

 

[txtaquito]

While I am still a novice at this, I highly doubt it was pieces of hops or clumps of yeast in there. Yeah, I shoulda taken a pic but my dumb arse didnt think of that. The things I saw were everywhere - on top, suspended and on bottom. My hops was in a very fine nylon bag. They werent hard. Almost slimy. If the liquid moved, they had movement not unlike tiny chunks of snot. Bright white in color. Then one blinked at me and swam away. (joking).
The beer tasted ok and didnt have any foul odor so I think its ok. I was just wondering what that crap was. It really had me freaked for a whole minute....

TxT

 

[davesrose]

The beer smelled fine and tasted ok - no off flavors.

Pics aren't necessary...this is the only statement we need to assure you that your beer is OK! The one time I had an infection (from a bad fermenter) it was quite obvious....it tasted rancidly horrible.

I've had a few beers that have flakes of trub that might float up to the top....more then likely, that's what you had.

 

[DRoyLenz]

Is there ever any visual sign of infection? Can you SEE the infection, or just taste/smell it?

 

[davesrose]

Is there ever any visual sign of infection? Can you SEE the infection, or just taste/smell it?

taste/smell is the only way really. My infected beer was staying cloudy and light like an actively fermenting batch.....but I wouldn't dare pitch a batch if it was staying cloudy or has floaties.

 

[DRoyLenz]

I ask, because I made my first yeast starter Monday night. It looks ok, I suppose, but I have a gnat problem in my apartment right now, and those buggers have a tendency to get everywhere. I'm worried one of them has been (or will soon be able to) squirm his way under the tinfoil top to my starter. Those little guys LOVE yeast, you should have seen them swarm my empty yeast smack-pack after I left it out for a couple minutes. I don't think it's a huge concern, but I'd like to know what to look for when I open up my yeast starter tonight. If there are any signs of infection, I'd rather order more yeast and make another starter than to pitch potentially infected yeast into a fresh batch or wort.

 

[Grinder12000]

One thing I have learned is that fermenting beer looks REAL REAL bad sometimes depending on the recipe and the yeast.

Case in point - these two brews turned out GREAT - so I just look and admire and stay focused on relaxing no matter WHAT it looks like!

 

[RecruitNBrew]

I ask, because I made my first yeast starter Monday night. It looks ok, I suppose, but I have a gnat problem in my apartment right now, and those buggers have a tendency to get everywhere. I'm worried one of them has been (or will soon be able to) squirm his way under the tinfoil top to my starter. Those little guys LOVE yeast, you should have seen them swarm my empty yeast smack-pack after I left it out for a couple minutes. I don't think it's a huge concern, but I'd like to know what to look for when I open up my yeast starter tonight. If there are any signs of infection, I'd rather order more yeast and make another starter than to pitch potentially infected yeast into a fresh batch or wort.

If the bugs have invaded, just use it anyway. In fact you could even call the brew "Gnatural Light"

 

[KillerKellers]

Grinder, thats some foul lookin brew you got goin on there!

 

[Falcor]

i've been meaning to post the same question for about a week. i've got a few things floating in my beer, they kind of look like bugers. they mostly float near the top but got up and down slowly over time. beer has been in secondary for 1.5 weeks and they've been there the whole time. i'm probably gonna do the hop bag over the autosiphon when transferring to prevent this stuff from getting into the bottles. advice and insight welcome. thanks

http://img39.imageshack.us/i/floaters.jpg/

http://img31.imageshack.us/i/floaters2.jpg/

 

[COLObrewer]

i've been meaning to post the same question for about a week. i've got a few things floating in my beer, they kind of look like bugers. they mostly float near the top but got up and down slowly over time. beer has been in secondary for 1.5 weeks and they've been there the whole time. i'm probably gonna do the hop bag over the autosiphon when transferring to prevent this stuff from getting into the bottles. advice and insight welcome. thanks

Imageshack - blowoff2oo1.jpg

Imageshack - blowoff2oo1.jpg

Yeast, leave in secondary 2 more weeks.

 

[Falcor]

if it hasn't moved in 1.5 weeks how would another 2 help? i was also thinking about a short crash cool before bottling, maybe about 36hrs. haven't decided yet tho

 

[DRoyLenz]

If the bugs have invaded, just use it anyway. In fact you could even call the brew "Gnatural Light"

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I wanted to update you on the Gnat situation. I just came home from work and checked out my Irish Ale in my secondary, and there were easily 10-15 gnats stuck in my airlock, dead. It was quite gross, but kind of funny. At least I'm killing them somehow. Thank God for the airlock, or they'd be floating around in my wort right now. I think they must be attracted to the Carbon Dioxide or something.

 

[bigmanbt]

Also to quickly aid in the gnat situation. The best way to get rid of the buggers is to set out something like a pie tin filled with vinegar. Put fruit the middle and let it rot. Whatever your set-up, just make sure the fruit is well exposed so it can rot. And make sure it is near a window or some sort of airflow so the vinegar/fruit smell permeates the infested area.